Let Us Celebrate Christmas with Christ

Third Sunday of Advent, December 16, 2018
 
Let us celebrate Christmas with Christ
 
Dear Friends,
 
Christmas greetings to you and those you love in Christ, our Lord.
 
Christmas is here. Again, we are reminded of a great mystery of God who emptied himself in embracing humanity for our own sake. He was rich but chose to be poor so that we can become rich in mercy and love of God and of neighbor.
 
Christmas is not always so bright and shiny as we have it today. He was born to a woman and a foster father, experienced homelessness and coldness in a manger saturated with animal smell and waste. Among those who welcomed the Newborn Child were three wise men, foreigners from the East, the lowest class citizen, the poor shepherds, and divine beings, the Angels from on High. In contrary, his own chosen people did not welcome Him. The local king ordered to kill Him at all costs. His family was forced to take refuge in a foreign land. Oh Jesus, what a first Christmas you had!
 
Many people here in California and elsewhere in the world will experience something similar this Christmas. Many have no home to go to. Many will have no welcome by their own or others: “There is no room in the inn.” Many will receive rejection and loneliness. Many will uniquely share what Jesus and his family had experienced.
 
As we celebrate this Christmas with families and friends, gifts, lights, music, and good foods, let us then not forget the central message of Love and Mercy God wanted to share with us since the first Christmas. Let us not forget our brothers and sisters who resemble the face of Jesus in poverty, suffering, and loneliness. May God inspire us to pray, support, and share our gifts with these brothers and sisters.
 
As a community of faith, we will come together to celebrate this Christmas with humility, thanksgiving, and devotion. We cordially invite you and your families to join us in signing, praising, and celebrating this great mystery of our faith: God became man and dwelt among us.
 
Please come and join us the following events:
 
Dec 11 Advent Communal Penance: 7:00 pm in Church
Dec 21 Songs of the Season Concert: 7:00 pm in Church
 
Dec 24 Christmas Eve – Nativity of the Lord
Mass times:  
Dec 25 Christmas Day – Nativity of the Lord
Mass Times: 8:30 am, 10:30 am, 12:30 pm (Spanish)
 
Dec 31 New Year’s Eve Vigil Mass: 7:00 pm followed by New Year Countdown!
 
Jan 1 Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God/New Year – Holy Day of Obligation
Mass times: 10:00 am, 12:10 pm
 
As a token of our love and appreciation for your support and love, we are offering you a subscription of FORMED valued at $1800.00 as a Christmas and New Year gift. FORMED is a bilingual (English & Spanish) revolutionary digital platform that offers a wealth of information and entertaining Catholic audio talks, eBooks, feature films, documentaries, and video-based study programs from trusted providers like Catholic Answers, Sophia Press, Knights of Columbus, Ignatius Press, St. Paul Center, and more.
 
There are two ways you can use FORMED.
 

1. Go to Internet Explorer and Click https://formed.org

2. Download the FORMED App from https://app.formed.org to your smartphone and login with Access Code: XPTJK8

 
May God bless you all and those you love.
 
Sincerely yours in Christ,
 
 
Fr Anthony Le & Community of Saint Catherine of Siena

 
Pope John XXIII’s Christmas Prayer
 
O sweet Child of Bethlehem, grant that we may share with all our hearts in this profound mystery of Christmas. Put into the hearts of men and women this peace for which they sometimes seek so desperately and which you alone can give to them. Help them to know one another better, and to live as brothers and sisters, children of the same Father. Reveal to them also your beauty, holiness and purity. Awaken in their hearts love and gratitude for your infinite goodness. Join them all together in your love. And give us your heavenly peace. Amen.